


Forever (Bee Mine)

by WhichWolfWins



Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: Domestic, Established Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Growing Old Together, M/M, Old Married Couple, Past Drug Use, Retirementlock, Talk of Suicide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-05
Updated: 2014-02-05
Packaged: 2018-01-11 07:17:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1170219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhichWolfWins/pseuds/WhichWolfWins
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>During a relaxing day in the sun, John and Sherlock talk about the past, the future, and bees.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Forever (Bee Mine)

“How can you stand it?” John asked, sitting in one of the lounge chairs with his ankles crossed and his eyes closed. 

Sherlock glanced over from where he was peering inside of one of the bee cages. “Stand what?” he asked, frowning slightly as he looked down at the notebook in his hands and scribbled something down. 

“The incessant buzzing,” John replied, his annoyance becoming evident in his tone. He’d been against the idea of the bees at the start, imaging how many bee stings he would have to treat because of Sherlock’s unwillingness to follow the proper safety precautions against them. Now, though, he found that he quite liked them, if only because they seemed like a safer alternative to some of the other experiments Sherlock had a tendency to get mixed up in. A big plus was that he noticed Sherlock’s face often took on an almost serene quality to it when he was tending to his bees, an expression that John still hadn’t gotten enough of. “I can barely think straight.” 

Sherlock sighed and pulled off his net and gloves before crossing the yard to sit down on the grass beside John’s chair instead of taking the seat next to his. He picked up John’s tea and took a luxurious sip before setting it down and laying back on the grass, his hands folded over his flat stomach. 

“That’s precisely the point,” Sherlock murmured, his eyes closed against the bright blue sky. “The buzzing helps. Like with my music, it shuts everything else up and makes it all go away. Gives me some peace and quiet when there’s just too much.” Sherlock slid his fingers into his hair and gripped onto the tumbling curls like he was suffering from a headache that just wouldn’t go away. John reached down and brushed his fingers over Sherlock’s soft hair. It was finally growing grey at the temples, but John doubted they’d ever match. 

Sherlock opened his eyes and looked up at John before sliding his own hands from his hair and placing them back on his stomach so John could run his fingers through his curls the way they both liked. “The drugs were like that, too, while they lasted. The heroin, at least. They made it so that nothing else mattered except the lack everything.” 

John scratched lightly at Sherlock’s scalp and his husband’s eyes drifted closed and a soft humming sound, similar to that of the bees around them, started buzzing from his chest. 

There was quiet for a moment before Sherlock’s eyelids dragged open and he looked up at his silent husband. “You are the only thing that can make everything go away while I remain with you, and I never thought that could be a good thing.” 

John laughed. “Me neither.” 

Sherlock scowled at him and John chuckled softly as he closed his eyes. With a huff, Sherlock sat up and pecked a kiss onto John’s lips before he laid back down and closed his eyes, too. 

They were quiet so long that Sherlock thought John had fallen asleep. He glanced over at his husband, biting the inside of his lip. He'd had a lot on his mind lately and he wasn't sure whether to share his thoughts with John or not. 

“John?” he finally broached quietly. 

“Hmm?” John responded after a moment, confirming to Sherlock that he’d been drifting. 

“Do you think we’ll know when our time has come?” 

Sherlock heard John shift on the lounge chair and looked up to find John looking down at him with questions in his blue eyes. “Maybe,” he said, following one of Sherlock’s wiry eyebrow with his thumb. “Why?” 

“Would you tell me?” Sherlock asked. “If you thought you were ready to go?” 

John licked his lips slowly, studying Sherlock’s face closely. “Yeah,” he nodded. “I will.” 

Sherlock reached up and took a hold of John’s hand. “Good,” he said, closing his eyes again. That peaceful smile returned. “Because that’s when I’ll be ready, too.” 

John traced Sherlock’s thumb with his until he was sure Sherlock had fallen asleep, then he stood up from his chair, still holding Sherlock’s hand, and pushed the chair out of the way so he could lay down on the grass beside him. 

Looking up at the bright blue sky, John listened to the buzzing of the bees.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you thought of this if you have the time! :)
> 
> If you would like to follow me on tumblr, [this](http://whichwolfwins.tumblr.com/) is me!


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